New York, New York

Just got back from the most amazing trip to New York. The boys went to Nanny and Pops' from Thursday-Sunday (after many a hormonal tear was shed), and Pat and I jetted off with these jokers...

We seriously had the best time with Jamie and David. I've never traveled with another couple before but they were the perfect companions. We would hang together, then split up some for one on one couple time, then meet back up and everyone was so easy going. I think we all had the common goals of restaurants with no high chairs, sleeping, relaxing, and seeing as much of the city as we could while stuffing our faces at every opportunity. 

After traveling all day Thursday we stayed in a hotel right by Times Square. The view was incredible. (Note: Anytime you see us giving thumbs up, it's because Fin asked us to take pictures with our thumbs up when we liked something and send them to him).

We headed out to Little Italy that night and ate at a restaurant that seemed Mafia-approved so we knew it was authentic. This was also our first taste of "holy cow New York food is expensive but o well". 

After dinner we decided to be spontaneous and took the Subway out to Rockefeller Center to see the tree. It was gorgeous and so Christmassy everywhere. This was my favorite night of the trip.

There was a Lego Store right in the square and they had a mini set up of Rockefeller Center made completely out of Legos. I looked at it through the eyes of a four year old and died.

This series makes me hysterical laugh everytime...

1) Pat bumps into Super Mario, get's excited, asks to take a picture.

2) They pose for a picture while Super Mario whispers to Pat, "You owe me 2 bucks". Hence Pat's totally confused expression.

3) Pat says, "Jokes on you, I only have one dollar".

Pretty night life way past my bedtime.

Friday I woke up beat after traveling the day before and not sleeping well that night. We packed up and headed to the condo of family friends who were so generous to let us stay there for three days. We walked in the front door and DIED...The place was gorgeous and decorated for Christmas and more comfortable then my own home (which for a homebody is saying a LOT!). 

Panoramic view

I could gush on and on about the condo but let me just sum it up in a few words: Electric, heated toilets. People...it was life changing for all four of us. From this pregnant lady who gets up three times a night, it was a definite trip highlight.

We ate at a cute diner for lunch and then all took naps, bliss! 

That night Pat and I braved the subway by ourselves (hilarious) and went to a Nets game. It was my first Pro-ball game and I really enjoyed it. The stadium was amazing and our seats made me feel very close to God :o)

Saturday morning we all walked down 5th ave. where Jamie and I died at the window displays and we popped in and out of stores like Tiffany's, the Plaza, FAO Shwartz, and the 2 story Apple Store.

We sent the boys pics of us playing in the toystore.

Pat-sized Batman made completely out of legos. We drooled.

You know, me being totally inconspicuous in Tiffany's telling Pat to take my pic in the spinning door.

By the gorgeous tree in the condo.

That night we grabbed a nice dinner at a small pub in Times Square and walked around Broadway until it was time for our play to start. 

If I look totally creeped out here it's because Pooh put his arm around me and was hissing/clucking at me in a total creepy way. Apparently Pooh did not notice the straining buttons on my pea coat. I'm knocked up Pooh, and taken...Find your honey elsewhere.

Pat's dreams came true by finding all of his favorite pals in one place. Cookie Monster, Iron man and Spiderman.

Jamie won the award for best dinner that night. She ordered a fruit and cheese plate the size of our table and put all of our burgers to shame.

We all experienced our first Broadway play that night and went to see Mary Poppins. Some of us (Pat) probably would have been content going our whole lives without seeing a play but we needed culture in our lives :o) The play and sets were amazing, although the theater seats were not designed for the obesity in America.

Pats' beer came in a Mary Poppins sippy cup which was hilarious. Is it wrong we washed it out and gave it to the boys as a present from our trip?

Sunday morning we dragged ourselves out of bed reluctantly and packed for home. We were all excited to see our kids but no one wanted to leave our new swanky lifestyle :o)

I wanted a pic of me and Lilah to show her one day how she came to New York with us.

One last pic of our new favorite home. Don't make us goooooo....

I firmly believe any good trip should end with a Cinnabon, as does Jamie. As my dad always said, "End on a high note". 

 We were so blessed by everyone who watched our kids so we could go as well as the Petrones providing us with an amazing place to stay. It was such a great time for Pat and I to really reconnect and have fun together before having #3. One thing I knew when I was dating Pat was I would ALWAYS enjoy myself when hanging out with him. We just have a great time together and it was nice to have the time to do that.
Note: We are willing and actively looking to make friends with someone who has a place in the tropical islands for our next vacay :o) We are even willing to do a trade. We'll go there, and you can come stay in bunk beds in Holly Springs. What a steal!

Making Memories

Finally...9 years in....he get's it.
Pat told me last Saturday morning, "With you I realize it's not about getting a Christmas tree, it's about making memories surrounding the Christmas tree". I know this sounds very sweet and it is. Except it would probably be more sweet if I haven't been shouting this through a megaphone on top of our roof for the past five years whenever it's time to get a tree. And dragging my feet mumbling under my breathe anytime we've purchased one from Food Lion (!) or a gas station (!!) just because it's cheap.
I need to feel Christmas in my heart people!! It's all about the magic.
So this year Pat surprised us early Saturday morning by saying he found a Christmas tree farm close by where we could go cut down our own tree. It was freezing that morning so we bundled up and headed out quickly. Fin and I were the most excited.
This place was amazing! Giant inflatable Frosty as you pull in. Mini homemade doughnuts and cider, free hayrides throughout the farm, free bouncy house and cute playground. I think my head exploded. But then I took this picture that looks like we are in the mountains and my head definitely exploded.

The boys were enthralled that there were trees smaller then them. Giant complex and what not. Welcome to Pats' life. He dwarfs 6 foot trees.

Fin, "Take my picture with this cute little baby tree".

Hayride. O Fin, this could have been such a cute picture if you would have kept your gum in your mouth. I'm on Team Nanny now. I hate gum.

Somebody got hungry mid-swing. When Coleys blood sugar plummets, you run for the closest doughnut you can find.

Baby boy, baby tree.

Love this.

Bringing our tree home. Pat's cutting the netting off with a knife, Fin's doing it with safety scissors, Coley's praising the Lord for fresh trees and family memories :o)

Finished product. Must fix small gap of lights ASAP.

It's needed

Friday night we were driving back from my parents and the boys were tired and cranky and all "where's the moon, I don't see the mooooon" from the back seat and I looked over at Pat and said, "I'm going somewhere by myself after naps tomorrow".
He looked back at me startled and said, "Ok, where do you want to go?"
"I don't know...I'm just going. I'll probably be gone for 2 hours". I think my tone ended the conversation there.
It's not often but sometimes when I'm feeling a little worn thin and a little snappish I try to remember when the last time was that I got in the car by myself and completed a thought in my head. 99.999% I feel completely content to be surrounded by my boys but every once in a while I need to clock out from mom duty for a little bit. Pat is always so kind to give me space if I ever ask and I probably should be better about asking more but I always feel guilty for it.
So that Saturday everyone kissed me goodbye as if I was heading off to war and I hopped in my car, turned the music from "We like Sheep" to the radio and headed out to a consignment store.
I scored homegirl her first two little gowns...

And then headed to my favorite place: Barnes and Noble. I used to go there weekly before I had kids and sit on the comfy sofas, drink hot chocolate and catch up on meaningless magazines. It was bliss. When I got there I did my usual rounds of gathering magazines (hello Cosmo,welcome People) and grabbed a peppermint hot chocolate. THEN I realized it had been so long since I had been there that they no longer had couches!

I picked a section where I thought there would be no traffic (philosophy section) and plopped myself down on the floor.

Perfection, minus the hard floor and my sciatica. It was just what I needed and I returned home missing my boys and grateful to my husband for getting take out for dinner. It doesn't take much.

Typical Night

I start whipping up Matzo Ball Soup for dinner while talking to Pat about his day and answering Fin's 1094 questions and WHY is Cole hanging on my leg asking for "eggies...Pulleeaase" right when I need to get around the kitchen. Not suprisingly considering the distractions, I add egg to the wrong mixture and have to scratch the whole meal. Deep Breathe. Things are going downhill fast, everyone's hungry. BLTS, Eggies or Peanut Butter Sandwhiches for dinner, take your pick.
   We sit around the table and laugh at Cole's 180 degree mood now that he has food in his belly. He shovels watermelon and eggs in as fast as his little fork can pick it up. Such a man. Fin sits half on, half off his chair as usual while I remind him at least 6 times to sit with both feet forward b/c he's not going to rush off anywhere and OMG when did I start sounding like such a mom.
    Boys all go wrestle while I clean up dinner. I prefer it that way because when Pat cleans up, he blasts Pandora and my brain feels frazzled and can't think think with that much noise in the background at the end of the day. Screams of happiness and "Daddy's leg accidentally whacked me in the weiner" wails are intermixed as I load up the dishwasher and I swear I wish sometimes could ask God, "WHERE do all the sippy cups go??".
     Bath time, with Cole dancing around the bathroom naked while the bubbles are added. Boys in the tub. Fin hops out covered in bubbles to pee, his nightly bathtime ritual. Cole hops out after him because if Fin needs to, he needs to. Jammies with socks because it's cold tonight, water cups, Yes you may watch a little Kung Fu Panda to wind down. WHY are you somersaulting off the sofa when it's almost bedtime. We.Are.Winding.Down.
     Cole in his crib. Cole, if you throw everything out of your crib like last night, you will get a spanking tonight. Cheeky grin is my reply. 50% chance everything will be on the floor in 5 minutes and he'll be wailing for "Cuppy water and Blank Blankkkkk". Fin in bed with a spiderman story. Yes, you may read one ninja turtle book to yourself. No, not to me. Yes, I do love ninja turtles but we are done with the day. Sweet soapy smelling kisses. Closed doors with little voices yelling, "Goodnight! Goodnight! One more hug and kiss?".
*Sigh* Grateful for the days end but already yearning to see them tomorrow. Please, let it not be before 6am.

Hallloween 2012

Halloween this year can be summed up by pure sugar energy and superhero fantasies realized.The boys woke up at 6:30 and immediately Fin was plotting what he would be. Homeboy could NOT decide on which superhero he would be but I was adamant it would be a superhero that we already had a costume for. In the end, Cole was spiderman all day and Fin was Batman in the morning and Spiderman at night.

We hit up the Y so I could have my pre-consuming 13 mini snickers workout and the boys could show off their costumes. Then we stopped by to see Denise to show Grandma their costumes. Notice Fin in character.

My neighbor Meredith made the boys the cutest snack...

20+ weeks belly on Halloween. She's a'growin.

Halloween night we had some neighbor friends over and tons of grandparents. It was such a fun night of chili, cornbread, cider and everyone sitting by the fire pit outside.

Cole loved snuggle time with Nanny warming his hands.

Spiderman is soooo big.

Zeke having an identity crisis. Am I a shark or am I ironman?

Cheese ball face.

The best pic you can get when kids are dying to go outside and start trick or treating.

Pat and Fin haggling over loot at the the end of the night. Rooky. There was no haggling with Mama, there was just taking and eating of much candy after bedtime :o)

 

I leave you with this RANDOM pic of Cait. She was a ceiling fan (LOVE) with Creeper McCreeperson. Note to Cait: Do not bring this Joker home for Thanksgiving.

Don't go...

This is how we send Daddy off back to work after he comes home from lunch...

I like to think our clinginess is endearing :o)